How do you explain to people what you do in a succinct quick few words? I usually have to explain at length what exactly ID is. I realize this is quite banal but was curious how others explained themselves

You can probably find more answers if you do a search. I'm sure this has been discussed before. But ...

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I develop new products.

Are you an engineer?

No. I am an industrial designer. An engineer primarly works on the machine to machine interface, how the mechanics work. An IDer primarly works on the human to machine interface, how a person uses the product. Remember the flashing clock on the VCR that always read 12:00? That's bad industrial design.

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OK. The VCR thing dates me as an old man. But I like to point out and example of bad design because it leaves more of an impression than good design. Good design is usually not noticed, as it should be.

All the explanations only reach to a certain point, if you are talking to somebody who has no clue at all how new products come to life... So I always grab the next object of some complexity like a coffee machine and explain what engineering does and what design does. U still bump into people, who assume that design is something expensive which is only "used" for few fashionable items.

Lately I say I'm a product designer. When people then ask what a product designer is, I say "do you know what an architect is? It is like that but for products". Seems to work to varying degrees most of the time.

Lately I say I'm a product designer. When people then ask what a product designer is, I say "do you know what an architect is? It is like that but for products". Seems to work to varying degrees most of the time.

That is great. I miss UFO. Just kidding. I do miss SteveP, he had good opinions and wrote well.

I usually just read comments and absorb... but found I had to comment on this topic:

It is still very perplexing to most people and drives me bonkers when people ask me to decorate their homes or give them decorating tips!? I am still surprised that most Americans know what a graphic designer or interior designer or architect does, but when it comes to ID or how products come to life, they are either clueless or assume that engineers are product designers or that ID is interior design.

Lately, I just say product designer... the one who drive the aesthetics, color, form and ergonomics behind a product. I then throw in that I am not an engineer but that we work closely with them to figure out the mechanics of the product. That usually works for me.

“Industrial design is a creative activity whose aim is to determine the formal qualities of objects produced in industry. These formal qualities are not only the external features but are principally those structural and functional relationships which convert a system to a coherent unity both from the point of view of the producer and the user. Industrial design extends to embrace all the aspects of human environment which are conditioned by industrial production.”

and emphasize the aesthetic, structural and functional relationships to convert a system to a coherent unity.

It is, to me, a real travesty that ICSID has over the years diluted their previously eloquent and accurate words into a multiple paragraph long read to make sure to include every possible subgenre, inclusionary, diverse and sustainable design jargon. ICSID's definition now is both unreadable and understandable only to PhD semioticians.

yo wrote:That is some pretty funny reading. I miss Steve P as well, and CG! Though CG and I hang out from time to time now that we both live in SoCal. Would be great to get some of those guys back in here!

The forums back then were pretty hilarious. Not as helpful or constructive, but funny.

Hey Yo, this may require a new thread, but I think this kind of thing is worth discussing! Observing for some time now and participating off an on, the 'new' style of forums can border unfriendly. Not that it's anyone's fault in particular, but the effort to be more helpful and constructive and less funny has lead to a general coldness toward clueless or more lighthearted posts.

Sometimes unnecessary is just what I need. And what I mean by that is this: valuable connections are often made in the silliest ways. The classroom or workplace are painfully monotonous without the occasional unexpected, inappropriate, or pointless happening. It is my opinion that cutting content to only contain the constructive/helpful/serious leaves out some of the most important parts, and the parts that could foster a brighter, broader conversation.